


The First of Many Christmases

by winestainsandglitter



Category: The Fall (TV 2013), The X-Files
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Love, Romantic Fluff, The Fall - Freeform, The X Files - Freeform, romantic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:33:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27852598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winestainsandglitter/pseuds/winestainsandglitter
Summary: Stella and Scully celebrate the holidays together for the first time.
Relationships: Stella Gibson & Dana Scully, Stella Gibson/Dana Scully
Comments: 12
Kudos: 64





	1. The First

**Author's Note:**

> This will be my first try at a multi-chapter fic! I'm mainly here for the holiday stories right now, so I hope you all enjoy. As always, I'd love to hear what you think.

Stella had never been one of those people to obsess over the holidays. The warmth and happiness that some people feel around Christmas had always seemed to evade her. She had a few lingering memories from her early childhood of her father playing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" on their humble piano, but any joy attached to December had long since passed with both of her parents being gone. First her mother, who -- to be fair -- Stella didn't have any memories of because she died when Stella was still a baby. Then, more tragically, her beloved father of a sudden heart attack when Stella was only 8 years old. 

The twinkly lights and the big, sparkly bows had never made Stella bat an eyelash. Though her sexual awakening came quite early and her appetite for physical gratification had always been satisfied, true feelings of love and emotional connection were things she could never picture for herself. Stella was a realist. She knew she had a grueling job as Detective Superintendent; that her traumatic past kept her guarded; that she needs control and distance to make it through her daily life. None of those beliefs could stand a chance to the whirlwind that is Dana Scully. Dana Scully stumbled into Stella's life one March night in London. Stella spotted her across a quiet, tucked away pub. Their one drink quickly became two, their one night together doubling and tripling until neither could deny the genuine spark between the two of them. Stella had never properly dated in her life. She had never been tempted beyond her physical needs. Until Dana.

Dana, an intensely intelligent medical doctor from the States, now had the hardened detective wrapped around her delicate finger. Where Stella was rigid and unyielding in her ways, Scully was soft and encouraging. Where Scully was stubborn and sometimes singleminded, Stella was level-headed and objective. Scully felt like sunshine and fresh air to Stella's gray London sky. Scully brought out the best in Stella. And Scully, Stella was learning, was challenging every belief that Stella ever had. 

As their first holiday season as a couple approached, Stella could sense a shift in Scully's disposition. Normally, Scully would cringe at the steadily dropping temperature, preferring the warmer days that reminded her of her childhood in San Diego. Which is why now, Stella can barely believe the smile that spreads across Scully's face as she enters through the front door of their shared apartment and exclaims, "I'm so excited, it's freezing out there!"

"And here I was thinking I had finally figured you out," Stella says as she saunters across the room to greet her still-smiling girlfriend. "You've always hated the cold." 

Scully smiles and wraps her arms around Stella's waist. "Usually, you would be right, darling," she says, accentuating the term of endearment with a peck on Stella's lips. "But now cold weather means it's getting close to Christmas! And Christmas is the perfect time for it to be cold," she beams, pulling Stella even closer. "Perfect weather to cozy up with you for the holidays," she purred into Stella's ear, lingering a moment before pulling away. 

"You're that big a fan of the holidays?" Stella yells in Scully's direction as the redhead begins up the stairs to their bedroom to change out of her scrubs. Stella heads to the kitchen to begin preparing dinner, filling a pot with water and placing it on the stove to boil. Grabbing a pair of crystal glasses from the cabinet and a bottle of Scully's favorite red wine, Stella pours them both a generous serving just as Scully descends down the stairs. 

"Oh, absolutely," comes Scully's excited response. "It's my favorite time of year. I can't wait. I have so much planned for us already! There are so many traditions I want to share with you." 

Stella tries and fails to hide the wince at Scully's holiday enthusiasm. At this reaction, Scully quickly backtracks. "Oh, I-I'm sorry. I didn't even ask if you would want to spend the holidays together celebrating. I just assumed, I'm so-" she stammers, before Stella moves to step closer to her and grabs both of her hands. Slowly smoothing Scully's palms with her thumbs, Stella says softly, "Hey, hey hey. I'm sorry. That's not what I meant. I just... haven't celebrated Christmas in a long time." Scully, visibly relieved at her words, now stares intently at the blonde. 

"Well," Scully says softly, "would you be at all interested in celebrating with me? No pressure, I promise. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. And please don't say yes just because you think it will appease me."

Stella mulled over her thoughts for a moment. She pictured Scully on Christmas morning, with adorable bedhead and red pajamas. She imagined her beautiful girlfriend under the mistletoe. She thought of white snowflakes sticking to Scully's shoulder length red hair as they strolled through town, buying presents. With a sudden ache in her chest, Stella realized that was all she really wanted. She wanted a fairytale Christmas season with Scully. Stella was taken aback by how much she wanted this; this time of year that she hadn't seen hope in since her childhood. She wanted to spend Christmas with the love of her life. Most of all, she wanted to see Scully happy. 

"You know what?" Stella says, cupping Scully's face gently in her hand. "I'd love to." 

Scully can't hide her delight and she pulls Stella in for a gentle kiss. "You won't regret it. I'll make this a Christmas you won't forget!" Scully says in between kisses to Stella's cheeks, forehead, and chin. 

Scully then scurries away to work on some "secret holiday plans", so Stella busies herself with making dinner. As she stirs the red sauce into their angel hair pasta, Stella smiles to herself. The first of many Christmases with Scully, she hopes. 


	2. Christmas Tree Farm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully takes Stella to pick out their Christmas tree!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another quick update on this story. I'm still feeling out my writing style, so I hope that you all will be patient with me! Thank you to everyone taking the time to read my stories, it means so much.

Despite Scully's constant reassurance that Stella could say no to any holiday activity that she didn't want to partake in, Stella couldn't help but feel a certain pressure to please Scully. She didn't want to disappoint her or unintentionally ruin her favorite time of year. Even hearing Scully reminisce about her time with Mulder in their FBI basement office and their old holiday traditions had started to make Stella feel a bit insecure. What if she couldn't make Dana as happy as Mulder had? Or even as happy as Scully's family makes her? Stella wasn't used to feeling unsure of herself. She knows that Dana loves her and that's why she's choosing to spend the holidays with her. Stella just needs to rise to the occasion and put on a brave face. She can give Scully a great Christmas too. 

Stella's mind continued to wander until the sounds of Scully practically bouncing down the stairs tore her from her reverie. Scully wore an oversized knit cream sweater with loosely fitted jeans. Casual Scully was one of Stella's favorites. She liked everything that Scully wore, but comfortable Scully in soft sweaters was especially inviting and warm to cozy up to. 

"You ready for our first holiday outing, my love?" Scully questioned tenderly. 

Stella walked towards her to grab her hand. "Absolutely."

Scully drove and the two shared in lighthearted silence as Scully hummed along to the Christmas tunes playing over the speakers. After a thirty-or-so minute drive, they pulled up to a Christmas tree farm. 

"When I was little, I used to go with my dad and my brothers to pick out a fresh Christmas tree, while Melissa and mom stayed back to make space for the tree. It feels more special when you can smell the pine in your home. Mom tried to get us to agree to having a fake tree because of the mess of the pine needles inside, but we begged and begged," Scully says as she exits from her side of the car. 

"They're all so beautiful. How do you pick the right one?" Stella asks with genuine inquiry as she gazes up at the massive trees before her. 

"Well first, you need an appropriate tree-hunting beverage," Scully says as she walks towards a coffee stand at the entrance of the tree farm. "Two peppermint coffees please!" she quickly orders and pays before handing over a steaming cup to Stella. "Now that we have these, we are properly prepared for the task ahead."

As they walk through rows of Noble fir and white pine trees, Stella listens to Scully detail the importance of a tree's height, the fullness of the branches, and overall aesthetic. The two of them sipping on their warm drinks, their shoulders brushing every few steps as they make their way through this forest of green. Stella was beginning to understand the simple joy of doing small festive things together. She could watch Scully ruminate over trees with that furrowed brow of hers forever. As Scully continued to meticulously palm at the branches of trees, Stella's eyes suddenly catch a glimpse of the most beautiful Douglas fir. 

Stella grabs Scully's hand and tugs her toward the 9-foot masterpiece. "Honey, what about this one?" Stella asks, reaching towards the tree. 

"And you say you've never done this before!" Scully says, looping her arm through Stella's. "This one looks perfect." Scully guides them both around the tree, surveying it from all angles before nodding decidedly. "This is the one. It's perfect, just like you," Scully says before dashing off to find someone to tie the tree to the roof of their car. Stella finds the pay station and grabs two souvenir candy canes from the cup next to the register, feeling pleased with herself at finding a tree that Scully was happy with. 

Stella drives this time as they make their way back to their flat, being sure to maneuver with extra caution to ensure the safe arrival of their tree. When they make it back, tree safe and sound, Scully runs inside to grab gloves so that they can carry the thick tree inside. After a fairly strenuous 15 minutes and multiple breaks, the two finally place their tree in the corner of their living room at the wall adjacent to their fireplace. 

To Scully's surprise, Stella is absolutely beaming. She had chuckled good-naturedly through the entire car-to-living room fiasco. Scully felt so touched that Stella was willing to do any of this at all, but it made her heart even warmer to think that she may actually be enjoying this as much as Scully is. Feeling a sudden rush of tenderness for her girlfriend, Scully walks slowly over to Stella and encircles her waist from behind, placing her head in the crook of Stella's neck. 

"Hey," Stella whispers, nuzzling the side of Scully's face where she has attached herself to Stella. "You were right, real trees are better."

"Mhm," Scully mumbles her agreement whilst peppering feather-light kisses to Stella's shoulder and neck. Scully gently turns the blonde around so that they are facing each other. 

"What?" Stella questions, with a nervous laugh. "Darling, why are you looking at me like that?"

Scully pulls the blonde closer until they are fully pressed against one another. "I just love you. So. Much," she accentuates each word with a soft kiss to Stella's lips, to which Stella moans in approval. Scully begins guiding them backwards towards the couch, her memory leading her more than anything as the blonde deepens their kiss. When Scully feels the solid couch hit the back of her knees, she sits down, pulling Stella down with her to rest atop her lap. Stella breaks their kiss momentarily to place her forehead against Scully's tenderly. "Not nearly as much as I love you, surely," Stella replies, earning a playful slap on her wrist from Scully. 

"I'm serious," Scully breathes. "I know this is all new to you and I genuinely appreciate you meeting me halfway." Stella looks between them and then back at Scully's parted lips. "And I would appreciate it, love, if you would meet me halfway now," Stella quips, slightly grinding her hips into Scully's lap to make her point. Scully takes the hint and leans up to meet Stella's awaiting lips and the two kiss until they are both breathless. 

"As much fun as I'm having right now," Stella starts, "There is no way I will have the will-power to decorate this tree if we continue much further." Scully laughs as Stella slides off of her lap, sauntering towards the boxes of Christmas ornaments with an added sway to her hips, knowing that Scully was still watching her with hungry eyes. 

"Wow, I must be losing my touch if a Christmas tree can draw you away from me so easily," Scully jokes as she stands to help Stella unpack the decorations.

With a loving kiss to her forehead, Stella promises, "I only wish to take my time with you, with no interruptions or unfinished tasks to distract you and that busy little mind of yours. I want your full and undivided attention." 

Scully sighs contentedly at the blonde's response. "And I'm also actually really excited to decorate my first Christmas tree," Stella adds, albeit fairly quietly. 

"Pass the lights," Scully chuckles. "We've got some work to do."


	3. The Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stella gets an invitation to her holiday work party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We love emotional intimacy! Just another short and sweet chapter, hopefully leading to some fun and angsty chapters in the future! I hope you all are having a splendid holiday season so far! And as always, thank you for reading if you're still here at chapter three! I appreciate your time.

Stella stared at the invitation in her hand, worried at the corners a bit and sighed. "PRECINCT HOLIDAY PARTY" read in a fancy cursive font across the top of the memo. Her hands began to shake involuntarily as she suddenly felt nervous. Should she tell Scully? Stella has never attended one of these functions before, preferring to keep her work life and personal life separate. She knew how messy things could get when coworkers begin to see you as something more. She had learned her lesson with Jim. After one night in Stella's bed, he had become overly attached. He wouldn't leave it alone, and even went so far as to try to force himself on Stella on another occasion. 

Stella liked to keep her work life completely disconnected from her life with Scully, but she had to admit that she liked the idea of having it all. Having Scully involved in every faction of her life. She wanted Scully to meet her assistant, Julien; a bright young junior detective. Despite Stella's many attempts to keep herself closed off to all of her coworkers after the Jim incident, Julien had really become a genuine friend to her. Stella wanted Scully to meet her friend. She had always told herself that she could never possibly lead a normal life, but Scully had changed everything that she had told herself to be true. Maybe she could do this. She felt like she could do anything, quite frankly, with Scully by her side. 

Before she could deliberate on the situation any more, Stella startled at the rumbling of keys in the lock at the front door and dropped the invitation on the kitchen counter in front of her. 

Scully greets Stella upon entering their home, "Oh, hello lovely! How are you?" she asks casually as she plops her belongings down on the couch on her way to Stella, still leaned against the counter. Stella's back still facing her, she flinches as Scully puts her arm around her shoulder. 

"I need to... talk to you about something," Stella starts, with a slight quiver in her voice. 

"Oh? Is everything alright?" Stella takes one of Stella's hands and pulls a piece of blonde hair away from Stella's face with the other. 

"I wanted to ask you about something. About maybe going to something with me. As-as my date. As a date to something with me, if that's something that you would like to do," Stella says, not able to meet Scully's eyes. Scully moves her hand under Stella's chin to guide Stella's eyes to meet her own. Stella doesn't move for a moment, then relents to the patient and kind doctor before her. 

"Slow down, dear. What is this all about? Where is this coming from?" Scully says, stroking Stella's hair gently before leaning in to kiss her forehead. She looks over Stella's shoulder and sees the invitation on the counter. "May I?" Scully questions gently as she gestures to the piece of glittery card stock. Stella only nods, unable to find her words in the moment. 

Scully picks up the invitation, with one hand still gently caressing Stella. She scans it and places it carefully back on the counter before continuing. "Is this what you mean? Your office party? Did you want to go to this?"

Stella gulps audibly. "Fuck, I don't know why this is so hard for me. It's just a party! A stupid holiday party that I have never cared about before. Until now. Until I realized how much fun it can be to actually acknowledge the holidays when you have someone to share it all with," she says quickly, as though she might lose her nerve if she takes a pause even to breathe. 

Stella's eyes begin to fill with tears and she angrily swipes away the few that manage to escape. Scully looks at her tenderly. "I would be the luckiest person in the world to accompany you to any kind of party you want to attend, but I would also understand if you change your mind about bringing me or decide you don't want to go altogether." Scully pulls Stella into her arms and squeezes her tightly. 

"You've really fucked me up with all of this happy holiday spirit, you know?" Stella mumbles into Scully's shoulder. "You've got me wanting to go to holiday parties just so I can put you in a red and green jumper and shove you under the mistletoe," Stella chuckles at the absurdity of her own words, thinking about how she never imagined she would ever even think things like this, much less say them out loud. 

"You know, I have to say, I'm quite surprised you're telling me about this at all. You seem to always keep me as far away from your work as possible," Scully says. "And I've always wanted to respect that boundary. I know how difficult your work is and I only ever want as much as you're willing to give. I hope you know that I love you, whether or not you decide to go to this party; whether or not you decide to love the holidays. That's not important. You're what's important. I love you more than all of this. I do. I love you so much." 

Stella looks at Scully with teary eyes once again. "And I love you. And I want you to meet my work friends. I want you to see my office. I want you in every part of my life. Even this minuscule Christmas party in the grand scheme of our life together. I want it all, with you," Stella says. 

Scully embraces Stella before grabbing her tear-stained face in both of her hands and kissing her hard. Stella pulls back to look at Scully and traces the lines worrying her forehead. Scully is obviously still worried about Stella, beginning to fear she's placed too much pressure on her to make this holiday season perfect. She didn't want perfect. She just wanted to show Stella how much fun they could have together. Scully made a mental note to ease up on her expectations of Stella. Stella was already giving her so much, and she was incredibly grateful to be a part of Stella's life. Scully would make this a holiday season Stella wouldn't forget, but she would do it on Stella's terms. 

"So," Scully sighs. "What should I wear to this party of yours?"


	4. Houses Made of Gingerbread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stella is surprisingly good at making gingerbread houses. Scully, not so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fun little chapter before leading into Stella's holiday work party! You all know there has to be a bit of angst and trouble somewhere. I hope you like this one, it was really fun to write!

Stella walks into the precinct and fights to suppress a yawn. She and Scully had kept each other very busy last night, and though Stella can't help but smile at the memory of Scully's face as she came undone beneath her mere hours before, she is definitely feeling the lack of sleep this morning. Just as she rounds the corner to head straight to her office, a bright and chipper Julien stops her. Cup of coffee in his extended hand, he smiles at Stella. "Good morning, Detective Superintendent."

"Oh, Julien. You are a life-saver!" Stella says gratefully as she eagerly grasps at the beverage. Stella takes a few gulps. "I'm exhausted."

"Hmm..." Julien starts suggestively. "Something, or someone keeping you up, Gibson?"

Stella smiles and gently shoves his shoulder. "None of your business, but... maybe." 

"Well, am I ever going to meet her? You talk about Dana enough, but you've been dating so long and I have yet to meet this woman. I'm starting to feel like maybe you made her up," Julien teases. "I may need to meet her just to make sure she's real, because honestly, she sounds too good to be true. I mean, a hot medical doctor from the States?"

Stella waves her hand to invite him into her office. She leans against her desk and takes another sip of her coffee as Julien takes a seat across from the blonde. 

"I actually wanted to talk to you about that," Stella starts. "I was thinking of bringing Dana with me as my date to the Christmas party."

Julien gasps, feigning disbelief. "No way! You never come to the holiday parties," Julien says as he leans back in his chair. "That would be great. That way, you both can meet my boyfriend Henry too! We can all get drunk together and maybe I can get Scully to spill some of those well-hidden secrets I know you must have. It'll be so fun!" 

Seeing Julien's enthusiasm, Stella couldn't help but start feeling a bit excited herself. However, she did have one worry. "But I am a bit hesitant about one thing," Stella says, hoping to not completely ruin the mood. "Do you think Jim will be there?"

"Oh," Julien responds, suddenly understanding Stella's concern. "Well, he's never attended the party before. I don't think he's really the type. It's not like he has tons of friends around the office. Everyone knows he's a miserable creep." 

"I just don't want to bring Dana around him. She knows my history with him and honestly I feel like he would make her uncomfortable. I wouldn't want that," Stella explains. 

"You know what?" Julien says after pondering for a moment. "I'll look at the company roster to see if he's R.S.V.P.'d yet. All of the assistants have access to the guest list." He rises from his seat and heads towards the door before pausing to add, "I have some errands to run first, but I'll let you know as soon as I find out. I'm not worried, though. He never shows up to anything. Tell Dana I look forward to meeting her!" 

As soon as the door shuts behind him, Stella smiles to herself, feeling relieved. Jim probably won't be going to the party, so she can feel free to bring Dana without any hesitation or worries. Now that she has a clear head and some coffee in her system, she turns her attention to the unopened case files on her desk. 

Stella's day passes fairly quickly and she is on her way out of the office before she knows it. Scully told her this morning that she would have another holiday activity waiting for her when she got back tonight and Stella was antsy to get home to her girlfriend. They had decorated their tree and the rest of their apartment together, and Stella admitted she really loved coming home to the cozy space every night. Cuddling with Scully, watching Christmas movies and enjoying their time together. Stella appreciated Scully's efforts so much, and she showed her appreciation whenever she could. In the bedroom, mostly. 

Stella walks up the steps to their front door and gently turns her key into the lock. As she makes her way through the door, she is welcomed by the smell of fresh Thai food and the adorable smile of a slightly wine-drunk Scully. "Stell, you're ho-ome," Scully says in a sing-song tone, clearly feeling relaxed. 

Stella's heart clenches at the sight before her. Stella throws her belongings on the couch and makes her way to her girlfriend who is currently dancing around their kitchen and humming along to "Last Christmas" whilst grabbing plates for their food. It was the most precious sight to see, and Stella couldn't stop herself from pulling Scully in for a desperate, slightly messy kiss. She tastes the wine on Scully's tongue and hums in appreciation. Scully reigns in Stella's passion in favor of slow, butterfly-inducing kisses. She takes her time exploring Stella's mouth, then releases her with a gentle and satisfied moan. "Hello to you, too," Scully giggles, as she pulls Stella closer to rub her warm hands on Stella's bare back beneath her work blazer. 

"I see you've had some wine," Stella says, nodding towards the mostly-empty bottle on the dining table. "You started without me," the blonde adds with a fake pout. 

"I got out of work a little early, so I popped open a bottle of wine and ordered some food from that Thai place in the village that you like so much," Scully says, placing another gentle kiss to Stella's lips. "I may have gotten a bit carried away with the wine, sorry." Scully smiles shyly, embarrassed at her tipsy state. 

"Don't apologize, dear. I'm glad you're letting loose. You deserve it. I know how tough work has been lately," Stella responds, grasping Scully's blushing cheeks in her hands. 

The two separate after a moment and begin plating their takeout noodles and rice. A Christmas episode of "How I Met Your Mother" plays on the television while Scully and Stella eat and talk about their respective days; details of Scully's newest patients and Stella's most recent case. As their attentions turn to the episode playing, Stella hears her phone chime, signaling a text. She carries their empty plates to the kitchen before opening the message from Julien. 

The message reads: "No R.S.V.P. for Jim! The coast is clear for you to bring Dana to the party. If she is real, that is ;-)"

Stella types a quick thank you and chuckles to herself, feeling a bit giddy at the warmth she feels. Everything seems to be falling into place. 

Scully laughs, watching the TV as Ted Mosby and Lily Aldrin argue over some holiday hijinks. "Who was that that messaged you?" Scully asks casually, in between chuckles. 

"Oh, it was just Julien. Work stuff," Stella replies, refilling both hers and Scully's wine glasses. "So, you mentioned something earlier about another activity." 

"Right! Let me go get it!" Scully exclaims, resuming her plans for the evening. Scully jumps up from her spot on the couch to retrieve a mid-sized box. "Okay, close your eyes!" Stella settles on the couch and follows Scully's instruction. A shuffle of cardboard and then Scully announces, "Now open them!"

Stella opens her eyes to see a myriad of gingerbread pieces, gum drops, icing, and green and red sprinkles. Before Stella can react, Scully says, "It's a gingerbread house decorating kit! I thought it would be fun for us to do together! I bought two, so you can make one and I can make one!" 

Stella looked at the scene laid out before her. "Oh my! This all looks quite intricate, darling. I'm not sure how good I'll be at this, but I'm happy to try." 

"It's really simple, Stell! You just put the pieces together with the icing and then you decorate!" Scully says, clapping her hands together gleefully. Before they begin, Scully runs to the corner of the room and places the She & Him Christmas vinyl on their turntable. The gentle sounds of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward's voices fill the room. 

The two sit cross-legged on the floor, both hovering over the coffee table beside the couch. Stella quickly finds that she is basically a professional at gingerbread architecture, easily assembling her house. Scully, still struggling to make her first two gingerbread walls stand, huffs in annoyance. Stella, not noticing Scully's frustration in her own enjoyment of this activity, continues on. 

As Stella expertly pipes the icing onto the roof of her gingerbread house, she looks over at her girlfriend to check on her progress. Scully - her usually calm and collected medical doctor - with icing coating her hands and somehow, parts of her face; her face twisted in anguish; her slender fingers struggling to piece together the slabs of gingerbread in front of her. 

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Scully whispers under her breath. She throws the pieces down on the table in defeat. She raises her voice slightly and tosses her hands up in exasperation, venting into the air. "I can perform surgery, actual life-saving mechanisms, but I can't manage to assemble a fucking gingerbread house!" She rubs her temples with the tips of her fingers, surveying the absolute atrocity before her. 

Scully looks over at Stella's gingerbread masterpiece, seeming to have been too caught up in her own misery to notice the picture-perfect spread being created by her girlfriend just a few feet away. Her mouth involuntary gapes. "Stella, oh my god!" She gazes in wonder at the finesse of her girlfriend's skilled decorating and artistic flair. "Are you secretly a professional gingerbread house maker? Have you really been lying to me all this time about the Detective Superintendent stuff?" Scully laughs, looking like she may be on the brink of hysterical tears. She grabs Stella's hand and continues to marvel at the sheer perfection before her. 

Stella, feeling both a bit selfish at not realizing her girlfriend's dismay and also pride in her work from Scully's compliments, can only smile. "You're being a bit dramatic, love. It's just a few cookie pieces iced together," Stella shrugs, not wanting to make a big deal out of her obvious gingerbread-decorating aptitude. "And yours is beautiful too," Stella gestures to the sorry pile of pieces that could only very generously be called a gingerbread house, the gumdrops already beginning to slide off due to Scully's lack of icing reinforcements. 

"Oh, fuck off babe!" Scully laughs and playfully pushes Stella's shoulder. Scully climbs over the table to wrap her arms around her girlfriend. Scully leans Stella away from the table and climbs into the blonde's lap - her favorite place to sit. Scully's giggles subside and she leans in to nuzzle Stella's neck, taking in the blonde's unique scent of YSL perfume and something Scully can only describe as purely Stella. 

"You know, Dana. I always thought you were pretty good with your hands," Stella says suggestively, raising her eyebrow slightly. "But after seeing you try to handle those pieces of gingerbread, maybe I was wrong." Stella cannot contain her laughter any longer, and Scully presses her face even further into Stella's neck to hide her shame. 

"I know, it was awful! Stop making fun of me!" Scully exclaims, almost child-like in her embarrassment. 

"My darling," Stella soothes as she strokes Scully's back. "I can think of one way you can redeem yourself." Stella grabs Scully's hand and guides it lower until Scully's palm rests over the zipper of Stella's trousers. "Show me what those hands can really do," she whispers seductively, making Scully shiver. 

Scully spends the rest of the night showing Stella just how good she is with her hands. 


	5. The Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stella and Scully get ready for Stella's company holiday party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I apologize for the delay. I had originally planned to update this story every few days, but I had a job interview that I had to prepare for! I hope you'll all forgive me! Here's the next chapter with a bit of a cliffhanger ending. The party will be quite eventful and probably take place over a few chapters. If you're still here, thank you so much for reading! I appreciate it so much!

With the company party beginning shortly, Scully couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. Stella had never invited her to a work function before. She'd never even let her enter the building, gently brushing off Scully's offers to bring Stella lunch on busy work days. If she were being honest, it had in some ways made her doubt herself and her relationship with Stella. A feeling of inadequacy flickered in the back of Scully's mind at the thought of Stella being somehow embarrassed or ashamed of her. She quickly shoves the thoughts aside, instead choosing to focus on her image in the mirror. 

Looking at her reflection, Scully adjusts the pin holding her curled hair away from her face. She wears a stunning floor-length red velvet dress. The gown is backless, revealing the doctor's porcelain skin. Her lips a dark maroon color, glossed to perfection. Diamond earrings dangling, sparkling even in the dim light of their bedroom. The outfit is accentuated by elegant black open-toed heels, which Scully hopes give her a bit of height over Stella. Stella told Scully that the dress code was formal and that the party would be held at a particularly fancy hotel, so Scully was aiming to dress to impress. Though she thought with Stella by her side, no one would be looking at her. Scully was no stranger to the lustful eyes constantly on her girlfriend. In fact, though she wouldn't admit it, the lingering stares had always made her feel territorial. Now whenever she catches someone eyeing the blonde, she will not-so-nonchalantly pull Stella a little closer to silently get her message across: she's mine. If Stella has ever noticed Scully's marking of her territory, she's never commented. 

As Scully finishes applying a final coat of mascara, she hears a gentle gasp from behind her. 

Scully had been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she hadn't heard the blonde come up the stairs. "Darling, you look absolutely stunning," Stella says slowly, allowing her hooded eyes to travel the length of Scully's body ravenously. 

As Scully turns to face Stella, it is her turn to be stunned. Stella stands before her in a fitted cream-colored knee length dress. It fit her perfectly, like a second skin. Her blonde hair fell around her face in delicate waves. The matching heels gave Stella some extra height, but left her an inch or two short of Scully, which made the doctor smile. Scully couldn't help the way her mouth gaped at the blonde. "Are you fucking kidding me? Look at you!" Scully exclaims. 

Scully rushes to Stella's side. They both take a moment to admire the other, feeling giddy and in love. "Let me look at you, my goodness!" Stella says, taking Scully's hand and twirling her around in a circle to get a 360 view of the gown. "It's backless too?! Oh honey, you look hot!" Scully can't help the blush that rises in her cheeks. It still makes her heart flutter to hear Stella openly appreciating her looks. Scully really wanted to impress her tonight, after all. 

"If I hadn't just spent ten minutes perfecting my lipstick, I would kiss you right now," Scully says with a pout. "You really do look incredible," she adds, taking Stella's face in one of her hands.

Stella leans into Scully's touch and chuckles. "Thank you, love. But if I may say, you will be breaking the hearts of every person who sees you tonight. Everyone will be so jealous you're there with me," Stella says lovingly. 

"Oh stop," Scully says, thoroughly embarrassed now. "Are you ready to go?" she asks, quickly changing the subject and turning around to grab her purse. 

"Just about," Stella replies. She steps forward and twists Scully towards her again, grabbing both of her hands. Stella places gentle kisses to each of Scully's knuckles before placing them back at Scully's sides. "I just needed one more moment to properly adore you. Thank you, again, for agreeing to come with me tonight." Scully feels tears begin to fill her eyes at Stella's tender words. After a moment Stella says, "Now I'm ready. Let's go, shall we?" She gestures for Scully to lead the way out of their room. 

The drive to the hotel was fairly quick, with no traffic. Scully spent most of the journey gazing at Stella, enjoying the view of the blonde as she drove through busy London streets. Scully reveled in the way the street lights reflected against Stella's silky hair. She looked like something out of a movie. Stella, in turn, stole glances at Scully whenever she could, equally enjoying her view from the driver's seat. 

When they arrive at the hotel, Stella hands her keys to the valet and makes her way over to Scully's side of the car to open the door for her and help her ease out without stepping on her dress. The two walk hand-in-hand through the lobby, following the signs to the designated ballroom where the party was being held. As they approach the grand ballroom, Stella's stride slows slightly. Suddenly feeling nervous, Stella's grip on Scully's hand tightens. 

"You alright, babe?" Scully whispers, looking concerned. 

"Yeah, yeah. I just..." Stella fumbles. "I guess I just didn't realize how big of a step for me this actually is. I've never introduced any of my coworkers to a significant other before. I've never allowed different parts of my life to intersect like this before," Stella laughs nervously. "I doubt many of my colleagues even think it possible for me to feel any real human emotions. I'm basically a robot to them. All about work," she huffs. 

"Hey," Scully says softly. "We can do whatever you want to do, okay? We can go in there and see how you feel. If you're not comfortable, we can leave. No matter what, I'm by your side the whole time. We're in this together." At this, Stella visibly relaxes. 

Scully leads them forward, looping her arm through Stella's. They enter through a pair of double doors and are immediately taken aback by the grandeur of the ballroom. Hanging above them are gold-trimmed chandeliers flickering specks of light across golden walls. A marble fireplace anchors the room's center, casting a warm glow across the dance floor. Circular tables with red and gold centerpieces line the edges of the room. Each corner of the room has its own Christmas tree, topped with glittery stars and angels. Garland hangs over each archway. The room is already filled with law enforcement professionals from multiple precincts, engaged in small talk and sipping glasses of champagne. 

Stella quickly scans the room, looking for a familiar face. She had no idea what a big event these parties were and she was beginning to feel even more certain that this was a mistake. As if sensing her discomfort, Scully places her hand on the small of Stella's back, urging her forward. It was then that Stella began to notice how many eyes were on Scully, unbeknownst to the redhead whose eyes were expertly trained on Stella, too busy gauging the blonde's comfort levels. A part of Stella liked the fact that Scully had many admirers. She was proud to have Scully on her arm, and at the end of each night, in her bed. Scully was hers and she felt like the luckiest person in the world at this moment to have the love and attention of Dana Scully. 

Stella's focus shifts, however, when she hears her name being called behind her. "Stella Gibson, you absolute goddess!" Julien gushes as he approaches the two women, toting a handsome young man behind him. "Just when I think you can't get any more beautiful!" Stella beams at the compliment and hugs Julien tightly, already feeling more relaxed to see a friendly face. 

"Stop kissing up, I already like you! You don't need to flatter me anymore," Stella quips with a wink. Stella places her hand in Dana's once again and pulls her forward slightly. "This," she gestures to Scully, "is Dana Scully, my lovely girlfriend." 

"Dana! I have heard so much about you. Stella whines all day about missing you, her perfect medical doctor girlfriend. Honestly, you sounded too good to be true. But now that I'm seeing you in person, I understand Stella's affliction. You're even more gorgeous than in your photos!" Julien admits, taking Scully's other hand. He then stands back to bring forth his date. "And this handsome man is my love, Henry." 

"It's so wonderful to meet you both. You two look incredible together. You're already the talk of the party," Henry says with a smirk. 

"What do you mean?" Dana asks, worrying she may somehow be responsible for unwanted attention on Stella. She didn't want to put any more stress on her girlfriend. 

"Well, look at the two of you! You are the hottest couple here. You turned every single head on the way in here. It's all good talk, everyone is quite jealous of you, Stell," says Julien excitedly. "First time at the company party and you have a gem like Scully on your arm. People can't help but gossip a bit."

Stella gives Scully an apologetic look, but Scully simply leans in closer to the blonde indicating that she's feeling just fine. In Scully's mind, they're all probably just admiring Stella anyways. That was something she was used to, after all, and it made her quite proud. 

"We saved you seats at our table," Henry says then. "Come, let's get some drinks and sit down before dinner is served!"

The four of them find their way to a corner table, slightly hidden from the main area of the party. They sip champagne and exchange in small talk and stories. Julien mostly trying to squeeze juicy gossip about Stella from Scully, to which the redhead remains as elusive as ever, for which Stella is grateful. Maybe they could share more another time, possibly on a double date. Somewhere far from the ears of their coworkers and company higher-ups. 

In the midst of a laughing fit brought on by Henry's anecdote about his and Julien's first date, Julien suddenly freezes. 

"What? What's wrong?" Stella asks, her brow furrowing as she reaches towards Julien. 

"Jim's here," he says with a serious look on his face.


	6. Mistletoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim shows up to the holiday party eager to start some trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all like this one! I had to add a little drama to this party. Thank you, again, if you've made it this far. I really do appreciate you all taking the time to read my work!

"I, I don't know why he's here. He didn't RSVP. Stella, I'm sorry. I know you only came tonight because I said Jim wouldn't be here." 

Stella tenses and closes her eyes for a moment, trying to steady her breathing. She didn't want that sorry excuse of a man to be anywhere near Scully, but she also didn't want Scully to feel how affected she was by his presence. Even just seeing him brought forth a fury within Stella. In general, Stella felt very protective of women. Jim is not a man who treats women well. He views them as property and treats them as such. Stella had absolutely no patience for that kind of behavior. 

"Wait, Jim?" Scully whispers into Stella's ear. "The one you told me about? The one who-?"

"Yes," Stella cuts her off before she can continue. "I'm sorry, darling. I thought he wouldn't be here." 

"Well, you two aren't friends. He probably won't come over to talk or anything, right?" Scully propositions hopefully. 

"If only he weren't an asshole," Julien mutters. "And headed straight this way, shit!" Stella looks up in disbelief as Julien says this and locks eyes with Jim from across the room as he heads straight for their table. He smirks at Stella's glaring gaze before switching his attention to the redhead beside her. Stella could have sworn she saw him lick his lips, and she wanted to scream. But for Dana's sake, she tried to keep her cool as best she could. 

Stella grabs Scully's hand under the table between them and gives it a little squeeze. She turns to Scully and says, "Just ignore him. We'll say a quick hello to be polite, but you don't have to say anything else to him, okay?" 

Scully nods her understanding just as Jim approaches their table. 

"Well, hello Julien," Jim nods. "Stella, so good to see you," he says with a boastful air. 

"Jim, I didn't think you were coming," Julien responds unenthusiastically, clearly just as annoyed as Stella at the fact that Jim has chosen to stop by their table and preach niceties. 

"Well, I wasn't," Jim says matter-of-factly. "That was, until I heard a certain blonde Detective Superintendent would be here. And with a lovely date, no less! I wouldn't miss that for the world. Finally, someone tamed our wild girl Stella." 

Stella felt her face getting more and more red with anger. Of course he would come here just to spite her. To ruin her evening. 

"You know, Jim," Stella begins, ready to give him a piece of her mind, when she felt Scully's hand on her thigh. The silent reminder brings Stella back to the present moment, and as she turns to look into Scully's crystal blue eyes, her anger at Jim and his childish antics dissipates. 

"You know, Jim," Stella repeats. "I hope you enjoy yourself. Now if you would excuse us, Julien was in the middle of a story." Stella quickly dismisses Jim's presence, turning away from him and back towards her friends. She wouldn't let him get the better of her, and she had Scully to thank for that. Though she could still feel the anger simmering beneath her calm exterior, she had it under control for the moment. 

"Wow, Stell. That was big of you," Julien says once Jim walked away, stunned into silence by Stella's politeness and formality. It was clear he was upset at not being able to get a rise out of the blonde. 

"Well, we all know I'm bigger than Jim," Stella said, quirking her brow at her innuendo and throwing a wink in Scully's direction. 

Scully knew how much Stella despises Jim, and she wondered for a moment if she should have let her tell him off. He undoubtedly deserved a verbal thrashing. Scully herself held a lot of anger and resentment towards Jim for what he had tried to do to Stella. She was happy to put a face to the man, should she ever see him in public in the future, she may not be so kind. Scully is a nonviolent person, for the most part. She is generally unbothered. That is, until Stella is involved. Scully is wildly protective of Stella, though she would never let Stella know exactly how fiercely. 

Feeling the anger and anxiety of their encounter with Jim fade away, the four began drinking and sharing stories again. Champagne with dinner transitioned to quite a few holiday cocktails. With Jim nowhere in sight, the four of them were actually having a really lovely time. As they finished another set of drinks, Scully offered to get the next round. Stella agreed quickly, a bit tipsy and quite enthralled in another of Julien's stories about his trip to Paris where he thought Ryan Gosling had been sitting next to him on his train. 

As Scully approaches the bar and places hers and Stella's orders, she suddenly feels a pair of eyes on her. Before she could look to see who it was, she feels someone come stand beside her. 

"We weren't properly introduced before," Jim says, extending his hand towards Scully with a wry smile. 

Scully looks back at their table, suddenly panicked. Stella was still focused on Julien and Henry, laughing and patting Julien's knee. She hears Jim clear his throat to refocus her attention on him. 

"Um, no. I guess not," Scully says, taking his still-extended hand and shaking it lightly. "I'm Dana Scully."

"You seem to be the talk of the night, Miss Dana Scully," Jim says. "Everyone has their eyes on you. No one thought Stella had it in her to be in a relationship with anyone, much less with someone as beautiful as you." His glance falls to Scully's chest as he says this, unabashedly checking her out.

Scully felt uncomfortable at his obvious ogling and she silently prayed for the bartender to hurry. 

"So, how long have you two been together?" Jim questions, seemingly unhappy that Scully isn't entertaining his games. "It must not have been long considering Stella's barely introducing you to her friends, right?" 

Scully felt that earlier pang of self-doubt resurface at his comment. They'd been dating for almost a year and this was the first time she was meeting anyone close to Stella. She thought that maybe she had just been overthinking it, but knowing that others were gossiping about her situation made her nervous. "That's... none of your business," Scully responds shakily. 

"If I were with you, I would never hide you away, that's for sure," Jim says, stepping into Scully's space. 

Before she could respond, the bartender signals to Dana that her drinks are ready. Grateful for a way out of the conversation, she goes to grab the drinks. Jim reaches them before she does. 

"Let me help you bring these back to your table. I wouldn't want you to accidentally spill these on your dress - which looks gorgeous on you, by the way," Jim says. 

Begrudgingly, Dana agrees to let him help her. He begins leading them along the side of the room, towards Scully's table when he suddenly stops, almost making Scully spill the drink in her hand. With a smug smile, Jim points his index finger upwards, encouraging Scully to look above them. She follows his gaze to the space above their heads. Mistletoe. 

"How serendipitous, Miss Scully," Jim says, leaning towards the redhead. "You know what that means, hm?" 

It all happens so fast. Before Scully can process what's happening, Jim's lips touch hers. She drops the drink she's holding and backs away, Jim's lips still puckered in the space between them. Scully sees red and before she knows it, her fist is connecting with Jim's jaw. She hears a small crack and she can't tell whether it was Jim's face or her hand. Holding her aching fist, she suddenly realizes the attention she's drawn. Eyes from all tables are geared towards the two of them and Scully is overcome with embarrassment. Gasps and whispers fill the crowded ballroom. 

"What the fuck?" Jim cries in pain. "You bitch, you broke my jaw!"


	7. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim kisses Scully, so she punches him in the jaw. As she should.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the story gets a bit steamy! The story will likely have more explicit content in the future chapters as well. I hope you all enjoy this little update! For those who celebrate, Merry Christmas Eve!

Stella was calming down from a fit of laughter when her mind travels back to thoughts of Scully. The redhead had left some time ago to grab drinks and Stella was already missing her by her side. Stella shook her head at the fact that she missed Scully when she was only just across the room. That woman truly had a hold on her like no one else. 

Stella looks up, hoping to spot Scully at the bar. Just as she picks out Scully's hair in the crowd, she sees Jim lean in to capture Scully's lips. Stella is out of her seat and blazing her way across the dance floor in mere seconds, reaching the couple just as Scully punches Jim right in the jaw. Stella can't help the surge of pride that wells in her heart at how badass her girlfriend looked, but she would be lying if she said that seeing someone else kiss Scully hadn't hurt her. Her brain registering that Jim had kissed Scully against her will broke Stella from the shock of the scene. 

"What the fuck?" Jim cries in pain. "You bitch, you broke my jaw!"

Hearing Jim speak to Scully that way after touching her without her consent was the last straw. 

"What the fuck did you just call my girlfriend?" Stella charges forward towards Jim, already cowering away, holding his jaw in his hands. 

At this point, the crowd that had formed from Scully's spectacle had grown to see Stella's reaction. 

"You had absolutely no right to touch her at all, much less kiss her without her consent. The way that you treat women is despicable. You have no sense of decency or respect. Men like you have no place in positions of power because all you do is abuse that badge. You hide behind it as though it makes up for the weak and meager person that you are," Stella says, her finger pointed at Jim, him flinching at every word. 

"You owe her an apology," Stella demands firmly. The crowd behind her remains silent as they all wait for Jim to say something. 

For the first time since these events transpired, Stella looks over at Scully. She's cradling her right hand which looks slightly swollen, her eyes on the floor trying not to make eye contact with any of Stella's coworkers. Upon hearing Stella call for Jim to apologize, the redhead's tear-filled eyes look up to meet Stella's. 

"Stell, it's okay," Scully says, barely above a whisper. She walks towards the blonde, suddenly needing to be close to her. Scully was absolutely mortified at Jim's behavior and at her own, honestly. She couldn't believe she'd embarrassed Stella like this at their first party together as a couple. She worried Stella would never bring her to any events ever again. That thought alone caused one single tear to escape, which Stella caught gently with one swipe of her finger across Scully's cheek. 

Stella was about to speak again when she heard a voice erupt from the crowd. 

"No, you owe Dana an apology," Julien says, stepping through the hoard of party guests. "You have harassed almost every woman in our precinct. Your behavior is disgusting. You are rude and unprofessional. And to be quite honest, you deserved a good punch in the mouth." 

A few chuckles bubble up from the crowd. After a moment, Jim's boss as well as the head detective of the precinct step forward and approach Jim. Inaudible whispers are exchanged before the detectives have Jim escorted from the property. 

"Alright, everyone. Show's over. Please return to the festivities," Detective Aarons announces. 

After the crowd has dispersed, Detective Aarons turns to Scully and Stella. "I'm so sorry for his ghastly behavior, Detective Superintendent. There is no excuse for that kind of behavior and I will be calling for his termination effective immediately," he says seriously. He turns to Dana, "I can't apologize enough, Dr. Scully. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to remedy the situation. Do you need me to call for someone to have a look at your hand?"

"No, no. I'm quite alright. It's just a bit swollen. Actually, Stella, do you think we could go get some ice?" Scully says, still clutching her wrist. 

"Yes, love. Of course," Stella responds gently. "I'll take it from here, sir. Thank you."

"There is an ice machine down that hallway, across from the ladies' room, I believe," Detective Aarons says as he signals to a corridor on the opposite side of the room. 

Stella ushers Scully through the once-again crowded dance floor, whispering apologies and cursing Jim's name the whole way. When they reach the end of the hallway, instead of turning to the ice machine, Scully grabs Stella's wrist and drags her into the ladies' room. With a quick scan of the bottom of the stalls to ensure they are completely alone, Scully whips Stella around and locks the door. 

Stella's eyes widen as Scully shoves the blonde flush against the back of the door, her lips seeking Stella's hungrily. When Scully finally releases Stella's lips, allowing the blonde to breathe, her mouth continues to devour every inch of Stella's skin that she can reach. 

"You standing up for me like that," Scully says between open-mouthed kisses, "so hot." She accentuates her point by urging Stella's tongue into her mouth, tasting remnants of cranberry and vodka on Stella's lips. The blonde returns Scully's energy, grabbing Scully's lithe body and pulling her closer. 

Stella gasps when she feels Scully's left hand trailing up the inside of her thighs. She feels dizzy, completely taken off guard by Dana's spontaneity. She then remembered Scully's injured hand. "Wait, wait, wait," Stella said, pushing Scully away slightly so that she could form a coherent thought. "Your hand, are you okay? Fuck, I can't believe you punched Jim," she said, a bit out of breath. 

"I'll be fine," Scully says, with irritation in her voice at being held at arms length from her girlfriend. "All I care about is fucking you. Right now," she purrs, stepping towards Stella again, backing her against the wall and spreading the blonde's legs with one of her thighs. "And plus," Scully pauses and gives Stella a mischievous smile, "I'm ambidextrous." 

Stella shivers as Scully hikes up the bottom of Stella's dress for better access. She strokes Stella over her lace panties before pulling the sheer fabric aside. Scully takes a moment to slide her middle finger through Stella's wetness before bringing the digit up and into her mouth to taste, holding Stella's gaze steadily. The whimper that tumbles from Stella's lips is desperate. 

"Delicious," Scully whispers, smiling widely. 

"Please," Stella responds, kissing Scully once more and urging her hand back down to where she needs her most. 

Not wanting to waste any more time, Scully's fingers swirl around Stella's clit, eliciting another moan from the blonde. Knowing exactly the pace that will quickly send Stella over the edge, Scully enters Stella with first two, then three fingers. Stella's breaths become more shallow as she nears release and Scully's fingers move faster. Scully swallows the moans that erupt from Stella's throat. A few more strokes from Scully's skilled fingers causes Stella to come undone. She comes fast and hard, Scully easing her from her climax with gentle kisses. Scully readjusts Stella's panties, pulls the blonde's dress back into place, and kisses her again deeply. 

Stella takes a moment to enjoy Scully, kissing her softly. "Let's get home, love. I want to take this gorgeous dress off of you," Scully says against Stella's lips. 

Stella grabs Scully's injured hand gingerly in both of her own and places a kiss to each reddened knuckle. "I hate that he disrespected you. I hate that he touched you. I hate that he's the reason you're hurt. And I hate that I wasn't there to punch him myself. I wanted to do more than punch him when I saw him kiss you," the blonde says suddenly and sadly, struggling to maintain eye contact with Scully. 

"Please don't blame yourself. None of that was your fault. I'll be fine, baby," Scully says softly, using her left hand to lift Stella's chin. Stella starts to argue, but Scully cuts her off with a sweet kiss. "I'm okay. You're okay. All I care about right now is you. Please take me home." Reluctantly, Stella agrees and releases her hold on Scully. 

The pair quickly touch up their makeup, making sure they look unruffled and presentable enough to return to the party to say their quick goodbyes. 


	8. The Ride Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully reveals her deepest insecurities to Stella, fearing the worst after the disaster of the holiday party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another soft and steamy chapter for you all! I know Christmas has technically passed, but I'm still leading up to the holiday in this little story! I hope that's okay with you all. I like to cling to the holiday season a bit, so I still have a few more chapters for you before wrapping this story up!

The drive home from the party is silent, much to Stella's surprise. From Scully's playful eagerness back at the party, she had expected there to be a hint of electricity in the car; an anticipation for more to come once they arrived home. However, each time Stella tried to catch Scully's eyes, the redhead seemed to be focused on something outside of the passenger side window. Worried thoughts began racing through Stella's head. Dana must be upset about what happened at the party with Jim. Of course, she must be angry with Stella for not paying close enough attention, for not getting to her quickly enough to keep Jim's hands off of her. Stella suddenly felt sick.

She knew the aftermath of tonight would require a great deal of apologizing on her part, but Scully hadn't seemed angry at her back there. Scully had said she didn't blame Stella. Maybe the quiet car ride had given her the time and space to rethink. Stella wanted to cry. She probably just ruined the best thing in her life, by being careless and not paying enough attention. She let the worst man she had ever known close enough to her Scully to kiss her. And now Scully would probably never forgive her. The thought of Scully walking out of her life made her feel slightly dizzy. 

Stella pulls into their parking spot in front of their apartment. She takes a deep, steadying breath, ready to beg and plead for Scully's forgiveness. Before she can say a word, Scully suddenly turns to face Stella, tears filling her wide blue eyes. 

"Stella, I'm so so sorry," Scully sobs. Tears begin to pour, cascading trails of mascara down Scully's face. "I can't believe I did that. I can't believe I embarrassed you like that tonight." 

Stella sits frozen in her seat, taken aback by the shift in Scully's demeanor. What could Dana possibly be apologizing for? Here the blonde was, ready to talk Scully into forgiving her - and here Scully is, asking forgiveness from Stella. 

"Dana, what are you-?" Stella begins, but Scully cuts her off. 

"You don't have to pretend for my sake, Stella. I mean, I know I've never been good enough for you. Why would someone as beautiful and as smart and as wonderful as you ever want to be with me? I'm such an idiot. You told me you don't like the holidays, and here I've been trying to shove my lifestyle down your throat. You have made it quite clear that you don't want me in any part of your work life, but I pushed. You tried to humor me, inviting me to your holiday party, and I absolutely ruin it. I made a scene in front of all of your colleagues. Jim was right, you must be ashamed of me. You kept me away from your friends and coworkers this long, and it turns out it was for the best. First time you let me near them and I fuck up like this," Scully chokes on her last words, wiping the still free-flowing tears from her face. 

At hearing the hurt and pain in Scully's voice, Stella felt her heart break. How had she let the incredible woman before her, the love of her life, feel this way? How could Scully doubt her love for even a minute? Stella takes Scully's face gently in her hands and presses her lips to the redhead's, tasting the salty tang from their tears. 

"Dana Katherine Scully," Stella whispers as they pull apart, Scully crying even harder now somehow. She continues, "I am the one who is completely undeserving of you. You have given me everything that I never thought that I would have, that I never thought I deserved. You have given me so much love. You've given me a partner in life. You are my everything. You're everything." 

Scully shakes her head. "I just... have always had a hard time wrapping my head around it. I don't know why you love me. It doesn't make sense. I'm so-" Stella presses her index finger to Scully's lips to stop her from finishing her sentence. 

"My darling, you are so perfect. I always thought that with my past, with all of the trauma I've accumulated - I always thought that I would be unhappy forever. I thought that I would be alone for the rest of my life, content to keep every person at arm's length. You bulldozed every wall that I built around myself, around my heart. I'm sorry if I haven't made that clear. I have never been and could never be embarrassed of you. The reason I've kept you apart from my work life has been because I was scared of bringing any more pain or sadness or drama into your life. I know how stressful your own job is. I've always wanted our relationship to feel like a relief from every piece of darkness the world has thrown your way," Stella says honestly. 

"Oh, Stell," Scully breathes, taking the blonde's hands in her own, stroking her knuckles with her thumbs. 

"I'm sorry that I've given you any reason to doubt me, to doubt us. I want you to know with absolute certainty that I love you more than anything or anyone in this world. Do you hear me?" Stella says, looking straight into Scully's eyes.

"I hear you," Scully whispers her response. "I'm so sorry if I made a mess of things tonight. I love you."

"Shh, there will be no more apologizing," Stella says, wiping the last few stray tears from Scully's cheeks. 

Stella steps out of the car and walks over to Scully's side to open her door for her. They walk hand-in-hand to their apartment door, and Stella quickly puts her key in the lock. 

Once inside the cozy warmth of their apartment, Stella turns to Scully. She grabs her hand and wordlessly guides the redhead through their living room and up the stairs to their bedroom. 

Scully stands beside their bed, looking longingly at Stella, wanting nothing more than to wrap the blonde in her arms forever and never let go. Scully couldn't believe that after the night they've had, Stella still managed to look flawless, not a hair out of place. It was maddening considering Scully's rouge cheeks and mussed hair. As though she could read her mind, Stella steps carefully out of her heels and walks to Scully, circling her arms around her slim waist. 

"Stop that," Stella chastises softly. "You look beautiful." She leans in and kisses Scully's neck, her tongue darting out to lick a trail up to Scully's earlobe. The redhead only shivers in response. "I have to admit, I was getting a little jealous at the looks you received this evening, Dana," Stella says, her hands raking down Scully's back, dragging the front of her dress down as well on her descent. Suddenly the blonde is kneeling before Scully, breathless as she takes in the redhead's bare chest. She palms Scully's breasts slowly, eliciting a moan from the now-panting redhead. "Everyone surely undressing you in their mind, the way I am now."

Stella pulls Dana's dress further, over her hips and down her creamy smooth legs. The detective is met with a pair of white lace panties and her mouth starts to water, Scully's arousal evident through the sheer fabric. 

"Mm," Dana whimpers as she squirms beneath the blonde's gaze. Stella, frustrated that Dana still cannot take a compliment from her after all this time, continues on to prove her point. She wants Dana to feel worshipped tonight. 

Stella hooks her thumbs into the waistband of Scully's thong and pulls the garment down Scully's legs, encouraging the redhead to step out of them. Scully felt powerful in this position, with Stella kneeling below her, staring up at her with those beautiful blue eyes, hooded and fluttering with lust. 

"I can tell everyone at that party would have killed to have this very view," Stella says, leaning forward to place open-mouthed kisses to Dana's inner thighs. "To get to touch you," she spreads Dana's open. "To get to taste you," she swipes her tongue slowly through Dana's delicate folds. "To fuck you," Stella inserts her middle finger before quickly pulling it back to her mouth to taste. Dana yelped once at the sudden, yet frustratingly fleeting intrusion. "But the thing is," Stella says steadily. "You're all mine." 

Stella wraps her arms around Scully's thighs then and begins a steady rhythm on Dana with her tongue. Alternating between sucking her clit and entering her with her fingers, Stella feels Scully's inner walls begin to contract. "Fuck, Stella, please don't stop." Stella has always been good at following orders and she soldiers on as Scully grabs fistfuls of her blonde hair to anchor Stella between her legs. After a few more minutes of skilled and enthusiastic lapping, she hears Scully's tell-tale moan of release as the redhead comes hard against Stella's mouth. Eager to please Scully through every second of her orgasm, Stella licks Scully clean, savoring her whilst allowing Scully to ride out the final moments of her bliss. 

As soon as she can breathe again, Scully pulls Stella up to meet her lips in a bruising kiss. Scully feels another gush of wetness at the taste of herself on Stella's tongue. Desperate to have her, Scully flips their positions and pushes the blonde onto the bed, immediately climbing on top of her. The doctor's skilled hands push the hem of Stella's dress over her hips and pull the garment up over her head in mere seconds. Impatient and overcome with need, Stella returns Scully's fervent energy, shoving her own panties aside and grinding her hips into Scully's. 

The two intertwine their legs, seeking much needed friction, their mouths dueling yet never missing a beat. They enter an urgent rhythm, grinding their dripping centers against one another. Scully taking full advantage of her leverage on top to push her full weight into the blonde. Stella's breasts bouncing with each thrust almost too much for Scully to bear, the redhead lowers her mouth to capture one of Stella's nipples. She hungrily swirls her rough tongue around the rosy bud until it peaks, releasing it with a wet pop. 

The two come within seconds of each other, Stella tumbling over the edge a few moments ahead of Scully. Afterwards, they lay together for some time, an entwined pile of limbs. Scully rolls off of Stella before cuddling into the blonde's side. Stella turns towards Scully, placing a tender kiss to her forehead. 

"I love you," Scully whispers, sleep threatening to take her any moment now. 

"And I love you," Stella says back, emotion creeping into her voice. She stays awake, ensuring Scully is deeply asleep before carefully leaving their bed to retrieve the clothes that they had strewn across the room in the heat of the moment. She knew Scully would appreciate a clean bedroom and a non-wrinkled gown hung in their closet when she awoke the next morning. 

With the excitement of the party behind them and hurt feelings on the road to mend, Stella now had to focus on the bigger task at hand: Scully's Christmas present. 


	9. Gift Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stella and Scully mull over what they're getting each other for Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Here's another update for this holiday story! I apologize, again, for the fact that the story wasn't able to line up with the real life holiday timeline. Things have gotten a bit busy for me, but I'm still determined to continue with this story if you're all still interested in reading! I definitely still have a few more chapters in me for this story, so please hang in there with me!

Stella felt at a complete loss. Their first Christmas together and she can't think of what she should get Scully. She knows that her gift had to get a lot of messages across: how much she appreciates the effort Dana has put forth to make Stella's holiday season special, how much she loves Dana, how much she's worth. Stella knows that Dana isn't even expecting a gift, and that their love is worth more than any present she could adorn with a silky red bow. Even so, Stella really wanted to make a statement. 

The blonde sits in a cozy cafe with two large oat milk lattes in front of her. Hearing the chime from the entrance of the coffee shop, she looks up and smiles, thrilled to see Julien walking towards her and shaking snow from his coat. 

"I don't know how you manage to make it through the icy cobblestones in those heels of yours," Julien says, leaning in to kiss Stella on the cheek, his face chilled from the cold. Stella slings her navy blue swing coat across the back of her chair, revealing her fitted black turtleneck and black cigarette trousers, paired with a simple heeled pair of black boots. 

"That is a secret I'll never tell, my friend," Stella responds, always feeling properly adored and flattered by Julien. 

"Alright, so what did you need to talk to me about? I know it must be urgent, this close to Christmas," Julien says before leaning down to take a sip of his latte. 

"I'm spiraling a bit," Stella says, sighing. "I still haven't picked out a gift for Dana, and I need to get her something perfect because... well, because she's perfect." She covers her face with her hands, feeling utterly overwhelmed. 

"Do you know what she's getting you?" Julien inquires, licking a bit of coffee from his lips as he does so. 

"Oh," Stella ponders for a moment. "I didn't even think about that. Now I'm even more stressed. She'll probably end up getting me something lovely and thoughtful, meanwhile I'm probably going to underwhelm her so much so that she'll break up with me." 

"Whoa whoa whoa, slow your roll there, detective. I could see how she looked at you at that party. She's head over heels. I don't think you need to worry about that. This is just a gift, Stell. It's not going to make or break your relationship. Just give her a gift from the heart," Julien says, placing his hand over Stella's to assure her he's being genuine and not trying to make fun at her expense. 

The two sit in pensive silence for a while, Stella sifting through things that she knows and loves about Dana, trying desperately to make a connection to a gift that would properly express her affections. 

"What about flowers?" Julien suggests, with a simple shrug. "Keep it simple. Give her a dozen of her favorite flowers. That's romantic and sweet."

"That's a nice gesture, but I feel like I should do something more. More meaningful. Something tailored to her specifically," Stella says earnestly. 

"Okay, hear me out," Julien says as he leans forward to make eye contact with the blonde. "She's a doctor, yes?" he asks, and Stella nods in response. "How about a bouquet... of scalpels?"

Stella can't help the laugh that escapes from her lips. "Are you fucking mad? That's hardly romantic. Merry Christmas, here are a bunch of sharp tools that you use to cut people open with," Stella says, giggling to herself. 

"Make fun all you want, but I'm telling you, no one has ever gotten her a bouquet of surgical instruments before. You would be the first," Julien responds, unfazed by Stella's laughter at his suggestion. 

After their chuckles subside, the two fall into casual conversation about their respective holiday plans. Julien will be spending Christmas Eve with Henry's family, and Henry will spend Christmas Day with Julien's. Stella wasn't exactly sure what her plans entailed yet, she just knew that she would be spending both days with Scully. She promised Julien she'd fill him in on all of the festivities after the holidays. 

As they take the final sips of their drinks, an idea suddenly pops into Stella's mind. 

"You know, Julien, you're right about keeping it simple. I think I'm going to do just that," Stella says, standing to put on her coat. Julien, mirroring her actions, looks at the blonde inquisitively. 

"Are you going to tell me what it is you mean by that?" Julien chuckles, seeming pleased with himself at being able to help Stella make a decision on a gift. 

"Come with me and you'll find out," Stella says, leading the way out of the cafe, holding the door open for Julien to follow her. 

X

Scully, always the overachiever, had been planning Stella's surprise for a few months now. She knew that she wanted to make Stella's first Christmas with her one she would never forget. Dana had a surprise for Stella in the works that she hoped would show Stella just how much she means to her. 

Dana walks leisurely along the sidewalk, browsing the windows of all of the holiday shops to see if any goodies catch her eye. She has a few errands to run, but is in no hurry. She knows she needs to pick up a few bottles of wine and some pasta ingredients for Christmas Eve dinner with Stella. They hadn't discussed their exact Christmas plans yet, but Scully knew Stella would be fine with her taking the reins on this. She also had to pick up Stella's gift, which she received an email confirmation for this morning letting her know it was ready. 

Dana takes out her phone and texts Stella to let her know she's running some errands. Then, she scrolls through her recent phone calls before pressing the name "Mulder."

He answers on the third ring. "Scull-ay!" he greets, cheerfully. "How are you doing this fine winter's day?"

Mulder and Scully had been partners back in the day when they both worked for the FBI. For most of their partnership, Dana had thought that Fox was the love of her life. When they finally did cross the line from strictly coworkers to a romantic relationship, they quickly realized that they worked better as friends. When Dana decided that she wanted to leave the FBI and The X-Files behind, Mulder had been really supportive. He encouraged her to follow her passions, to move to London like she had always dreamed. The two still had a beautiful friendship, and Scully was grateful for that. 

Mulder was the only person who knew what Scully had planned for Stella. Scully had actually felt relieved to have him to confide in, to give her the much needed encouragement to go through with her plans. It was nice to have someone to talk to about Stella. Scully sometimes felt the need to hold back when discussing her relationship with her mother or with her brothers. They still weren't fully convinced that Stella and Scully would last. Having Mulder's full support meant a lot to Scully.

Smiling to herself at the sound of her dear friend's voice, she responds, "I'm doing great. I'm actually just about to pick up Stella's gift that we talked about."

"Oh, Scully. She's gonna love it!" Fox says excitedly. 

"I really hope so," Scully says, suddenly feeling butterflies in her stomach at the anticipation of seeing Stella's gift in person for the first time. 

"You should know that I'm really proud of you. You're really putting yourself out there for Stella. You both deserve to be happy together," Mulder says, with strong emotions lacing through each word. 

"Thank you, Mulder. I'm really happy with her. I really think she's the one," Scully says, feeling a bit emotional herself at saying those words out loud. 

The two continue to chat whilst Scully completes the rest of her errands. Caught up in one of Mulder's X-Files cases, Scully barely notices she's made it to her destination. Giving Mulder a quick goodbye and receiving a wish of good luck in return, she puts her phone in her pocket and makes her way through the shop doors. 


	10. Christmas Eve (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stella is in charge of Christmas Eve festivities, and she has a lot planned for Scully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Sorry, again, for the delay. I didn't end up getting the job that I applied for, which kind of ruined my motivation to write. But I'm back with another chapter and still fully intend to finish this story! I'm really excited about the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day chapters. I hope you all enjoy! I appreciate everyone that's been following this little story!

Stella and Scully decided that each of them would get to be in charge of a day - Stella would arrange activities for Christmas Eve, and Scully would have free reins to do all of the planning for Christmas Day. They decided that they would keep their respective festivities a secret to add to the fun. 

It's Christmas Eve and Stella is already buzzing with nervousness. She had sent Scully off early this morning with instructions to return back to their apartment at 6:00 P.M. in order to give Stella the time and space to set up their evening. Stella had to run into town and pick up some last minute supplies for her surprise. She returns home and tosses her shopping bags onto the couch. 

Feeling the pressure of a ticking clock, Stella wastes no time in starting to set up. Her plan is to create the most picturesque evening at home for Scully. She had purchased some Christmas classics on DVD, some wood for their fireplace, two bottles of Scully's wine of choice, and she ordered food from Scully's favorite steak house which was set to be delivered right before Dana's arrival tonight. Stella grabs Scully's presents from upstairs, deciding to wrap them before starting on anything else. 

Much to Stella's surprise, she is actually quite good at wrapping presents. She has an eye for precision and delicate fingers to maneuver the thin paper. Being a bit embarrassed at not knowing how to wrap before this year, Stella had searched for tutorials online and had even come across instructions on how to make your own bows out of ribbon. She hopes Scully will appreciate the effort, and she looks forward to seeing the surprise on Scully's face when Stella tells her that she wrapped everything on her own. Once she's done topping each gift with an intricate bow, she places the three packages underneath the Christmas tree. Stella's mind shifts suddenly to briefly wonder what Scully may have gotten her, but she shoves the thoughts quickly from her mind for fear of losing her nerve at not measuring up to Scully's standard. 

Stella got to work on their living room, taking the decorations she had purchased from the bags on the couch. She spends the next hour dangling crystal snowflakes from their ceiling, hanging custom designed stockings from their mantel, lighting cranberry scented candles, laying new Christmas throw blankets across the couch, pouring the wine into the decanter to let it breathe, starting a roaring fire, and tidying the kitchen, living room, and bedroom. 

Looking around, pleased with the work she's done, Stella notices the clock on the wall and realizes she needs to start getting ready. The blonde showers, remembering to use the lavender shampoo because that's the one that Scully compliments the most. Stella wanted to tailor this evening to all of Scully's favorites. Though, she's hoping to give Scully some new favorites as well. Stella smirks to herself, thinking about her new lingerie set that lay waiting for her in her bedroom. As uneasy as she was about some of her surprises for Scully, she was fairly certain that Dana would enjoy that particular set. 

Once out of the shower, Stella blowdries her hair and then uses her curling iron to wave her blonde locks to perfection. She carefully applies her eye shadow, smoking it out at the edges for a subtle wing. She adds a light layer of mascara, followed by a powder foundation and blush. Stella knows that Scully likes when she wears lip gloss, so she gently glides the YSL product over her plump lips, taking a moment to admire the shine. Stella steps away from her vanity then to get dressed. On top of her new lingerie set, she wears a maroon v-neck sweater and black fitted pants. 

Just then, the doorbell rings. She sprays a bit of Coco Mademoiselle perfume to her wrists and neck before heading downstairs. She thanks the delivery man and tips him generously before taking the food into the kitchen to plate each of their meals. With a quick glance at the clock, she notes that it's 5:45 P.M. and Scully will be home in about 15 minutes. Her heart thumps loudly in her ears as she busies herself with setting the table. Just as she finishes setting out the silverware, she hears a gentle tap on the front door. 

Stella chuckles at the formality of Scully knocking on her own front door. She feels giddy and excited as she finds her way to the entrance of their home in four long strides. Stella takes a deep breath before opening the door to find the most adorable sight. Scully, in a grey turtleneck and long black coat, with her eyes closed. 

"Hi," Scully says shakily, squeezing her eyes shut a little tighter. "I wasn't sure exactly how you wanted to do this, so I kept my eyes closed in case you needed me to for the surprise. I wasn't sure if I should call you or text you first, and I didn't want to rush you or anything, but I-" Stella stops Scully's rambling by planting a soft kiss to her lips. The two revel in the feeling of each other for a moment before Scully pulls back, just a whisper from Stella's lips and says, "Is it safe to open my eyes? I'd really like to see how beautiful I know you look right now."

"Yes," Stella replies, taking Scully's lips once more. When Scully's sparkling blue eyes meet Stella's, Stella could swear her heart skips a beat. She never thought that she would feel anything as strongly as the things she feels for the redhead in front of her. 

"I was right," Scully says, grabbing Stella by the hips and pulling her in for a hug. "You look unbelievably stunning," Dana says as she leans back to admire the blonde, swirling a tendril of Stella's hair around her index finger. 

"Not nearly as gorgeous as you, darling," Stella says, taking Scully's hand, placing a gentle kiss to her knuckles, and leading her inside. 

Scully had been so caught up in gazing at Stella that she audibly gasps when she removes her coat and finally has a moment to properly take in her surroundings. Tears instantly fill her eyes and she swallows hard. "Honey, this is so beautiful. You hung all of these snowflakes? And oh my goodness, the stockings! They have our names on them!" Scully says, darting across the room and running her hands along the embroidered fabric. She glances at their tree and exclaims, "And these presents? They're for me? Stell, I can't believe you! You didn't have to do all this." Scully looks over at the Stella, looking smug and quite pleased with herself. She can't help it, she rushes to the blonde and jumps into her arms, wrapping her legs around Stella's waist.

Stella laughs and Dana takes her off guard, kissing her lips, her cheeks, her forehead, her chin, and every inch of Stella's face and neck that she can reach. In between peppering kisses, Dana whispers, "I love you, I love you, I love you. How did I get so lucky?" Once Scully's finished with her affectionate attack and Stella's fit of giggles subsides, they stay for a moment connected by their foreheads to simply breathe each other in. Then Scully takes a deep breath and pulls away. "Is that... Vanessa's Steakhouse that I smell?" 

Stella smiles and nods in confirmation of Scully's suspicions. The redhead climbs down off of her and follows the wonderful smell, dragging her dazed girlfriend behind her, who was still drunk on the taste of Scully's lips. The tabletop decorations are pristine, looking like they came straight out of a West Elm catalogue. Scully takes her seat by her place setting, next to Stella. Right as she's about to pick up her cutlery, something large and shiny on the top of the kitchen counter catches her eye. 

Scully raises an eyebrow at Stella. "What's that?" she asks, slowly rising from her place at the table. The surprises kept on coming. Scully felt like a kid on Christmas morning. 

As the redhead approaches the counter with her hands clasped together in excitement, she finally realizes what it is. She lets out a hearty laugh. A bouquet of scalpels. A dozen individually packaged scalpels all arranged neatly together and secured with a bow. 

"Is this...?" Scully trails off, unable to find her words amidst the giggles. 

Stella comes to envelop the redhead from behind then, feeling the vibrations of Scully's laughter through her whole body as she nuzzles into the side of Dana's neck. "I can't take full credit for that masterpiece. It was Julien's idea," Stella says matter-of-factly. 

"Well, I am a doctor, after all," Scully responds, her smile evident in her voice even though Stella can't quite see it in their current position. 

"That's exactly what he said!" Stella says. "I hope you like it. I thought it would be special. Something you've never gotten before." 

"Stell, baby. This is all so special," Scully says with tears filling her eyes once more. She turns around in Stella's embrace to face her. Scully wraps her arms around Stella's neck and pull her in for a kiss, holding her there. They kiss deeply and passionately, Scully first taking Stella's top lip between her own, then the bottom, before pushing forward to guide her tongue into Stella's mouth. 

When the two finally separate, Scully thumbs the blonde's swollen lips and looks at her with a sad smile. "I messed up your lip gloss, I'm sorry," she says, her face looking a bit guilty. 

"I'm sure you'll find some way to make it up to me later," Stella says with a hint of innuendo in her voice, not feeling sorry in the least. 

The two return to their meal, each occasionally reaching over to make small physical connections with the other. They hardly even notice at this point in their relationship - Scully reaching to put a hand on Stella's thigh when she laughs at something Stella has just said. Stella pausing mid-sentence to tuck a stray lock of Scully's hair behind her ear. Neither could keep their hands off the other for more than a few moments, even going so far as to lean in closer in between the moments that anchored them together. The pull was magnetic and instinctive. 

Stella clears their plates and utensils when they're done eating and moves onto her next surprise activity for the evening. Scully follows Stella into the kitchen where she finds the detective pouring two glasses of her favorite wine. Dana thanks her with a kiss on her cheek as she grabs her glass from Stella, noting the festive "I'm Dreaming of a Wine Christmas" in cursive letters along the face of the glass. 

The two make their way into the living room and Stella guides them to the floor to sit beside the coffee table, dragging one of the throw blankets along with them. 

"So, I've never told anyone this," Stella begins, hesitant at first. "My dad used to really love Christmas. The only good memories that I have of the holidays were with him. He would play the classic carols on the piano for me. We would take strolls through the park when it snowed. And..." Stella trails off to reach for a bag beside the couch. She takes a few boxes out of the bag and continues, "We would play board games on Christmas Eve." 

Stella places Scrabble, Sushi Go, and We're Not Really Strangers on the table in front of them. "I picked out a few, and I thought maybe we could play together. You've shown me a lot of your family traditions, and I've absolutely loved being a part of them. I wanted to let you in on one of mine," Stella says, trying and failing to hide her blush at how sentimental she felt. 

Scully was touched by the sweet gesture. She knows how hard it is for Stella to open up about her past, and yet, here she was. Letting Scully in. "That sounds wonderful, darling," Scully says, grabbing Stella's hand and bringing it to her lips. "Can we play Scrabble first? You know how much I love to win," Scully says with a devilish wink and a small smile, feeling her competitive nature begin to rise within her. 

"You're on, doctor," Stella says, mirroring a mischievous smirk of her own. "Let's not forget which one of us has hundreds of degrees." 

Both Dana and Stella love a good competition, especially since both consider the other a worthy opponent. It has done wonders for their sex life as well. The give and take of their relationship always an exciting and rewarding balancing act. 

"Then let's sweeten the deal, shall we?" Dana says, tracing circles on Stella's knee. "Best two out of three? Loser has to take off an item of clothing."

"It's a good thing I've got a fire going, you're going to be cold once you have to take off that sweater," Stella responds, clearly feeling quite confident. 

The two play three of the best games of Scrabble either had ever played in their life. Stella loved the way Scully furrowed her brow as she analyzed the board. Scully loved the glint of pride in Stella's eyes when she realized how to put together an impressive word, stacking up quite a few points in the process. And though both women were playing to win, they knew that either outcome would make both of them happy. They liked seeing each other succeed. 

Stella won the first game, and Scully pulled out an 84-point word at last minute that won her the second; however, it was still Stella who won best two out of three. Scully's chosen item of clothing to part with were her socks. She sticks her tongue out at the blonde in faux petulance and gently shoves both of her feet underneath Stella's thigh for warmth. 

"Sore loser," Stella says with a loving smile, leaning over to place a kiss to Scully's pouted lips. "Would you like to open your presents as consolation?" 

Scully immediately perked up at the mention of her gifts. She truly hadn't expected anything and would have been perfectly happy even if Stella hadn't gotten her anything, but she would be lying if she said that she didn't love receiving presents every once in a while. She nods enthusiastically, moving to sit cross-legged in front of their tree. Stella stood to retrieve the gifts, placing them gingerly in front of the redhead. 

"Okay, so you can open all three and then I'll explain," Stella says, clearly trying to hide her nerves. 


	11. Christmas Eve (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully unwraps her gifts from Stella on Christmas Eve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the comments on the last chapter! It really means so much to me to know that there's at least a few of you who are enjoying my story! I feel very lucky that you all have stayed with me on this Christmas story well into January. I hope you like this update! I will try my best to get the next chapters to you a bit more quickly!

"Okay, so you can open all three and then I'll explain," Stella says, clearly trying to hide her nerves. 

"They're wrapped so beautifully, I almost don't want to open them," Scully says, tracing over the shiny paper with a delicate finger. 

"Well, truth is... I learned how to wrap just for you," Stella responds quietly, feeling shy at the admission, suddenly questioning whether she should have told Scully at all. "I've never really had a reason to learn before this year. No one to buy gifts for," Stella trails off.

Scully, not missing the hint of emotion in Stella's voice and her anxious fidgeting, reaches over to cup Stella's cheek. Stella immediately relaxes into Scully's touch, feeling grounded by the gesture. "Thank you, my love. Your effort is not at all lost on me. I love this, and I love you," Scully says, mirroring the blonde's emotions. She can't remember the last time she had felt this loved, this seen by another person. Stella truly saw Scully, for all that she was. And she loved her for it all. 

"Well, go on," Stella says, urging the redhead to open her gifts. 

In a split second, Scully is a little kid again, eager to see what Santa had brought her. She unravels the bow and tears the paper off of the first box before gingerly lifting the lid. The first of the three gifts is an ornament. It is a round and cherry red, with gold sparkly stars. In the center is an engraving that reads: Dana and Stella's First Christmas, 2020. On the back, in the same golden script: The First of Many.

For what feels like the millionth time of the evening, tears begin to well up in Dana's eyes. "Stell, I-" Scully starts, her voice breaking as she looks at the beautiful ornament in her hand and then back up at Stella. 

"Don't say anything yet. Open the other two first," Stella says, looking serious and wringing her hands. 

Placing the ornament beside her as carefully as humanly possible, Dana reaches for the next box. She wipes a tear from her eye before removing the lid. This one, significantly smaller than the last. When she sees what's inside, her hand immediately flies to cover her mouth, a gasp on her lips. It's an elegant rose gold bracelet with two small golden charms - an 'S' and a 'G' - Stella's initials. 

Stella shifts her sitting position on the floor in front of Scully, bringing her right knee to her chest and moving the bottom of her pant leg to expose her ankle. Her ankle around which she is wearing an identical gold chain with 'D' and 'S' charms. "I got a matching one for myself, but I wore it as an anklet for tonight just so I wouldn't ruin the surprise," Stella explains. 

"Thank you, sweetheart. I love it. Please help me put it on," Scully says, holding the bracelet out to Stella and giving her a quick peck on the cheek. 

Once the piece of jewelry is secure on her wrist, properly glistening in the firelight, Dana moves onto her third and final gift. This is the largest of the three boxes, and only slightly heavier than the previous two. Upon lifting the lid of the last box, Dana lays her eyes on a gorgeous film camera. It's a black Yashica Snap point-and-shoot 35mm in exquisite condition. Scully smiles and pulls it from its box, feeling the weight of it in her hand. 

"This is in pristine condition, oh my goodness! It's lovely, Stell," Scully says, taking a look through the viewfinder. "I haven't shot on film in ages."

"Alright, now if I can explain," Stella says, as Scully takes a look at all of her gifts. "This year, you have taken the time to let me in on some of your favorite holiday traditions. This year, I wanted to start some of our own. The ornament," Stella says, picking up the red and gold bulb and holding it up. "This is to commemorate our first holiday together. I figure that maybe we can get a new one every year with the date engraved, to grow our own ornament collection."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, honey," Scully responds in short, not wanting to interrupt Stella's explanations. 

"The bracelets," Stella gestures between them at the dainty pieces of jewelry, "are another kind of tradition. We can add a new charm every Christmas, as well. I started us off with each other's initials. Just so we can always carry a small piece of each other. I also kind of like the idea of other people seeing it, and them knowing that I belong to you." The last part she says so quietly and with a rising blush that makes Scully's heart melt. 

Stella diverts Scully's attention quickly to the third gift. "And the camera is so we can document our days together. The big, important ones as well as the mundane moments. I want to remember them all with you. I want to fill our home with photos of you, and of us together." 

Stella takes a deep breath, places both of Scully's hands in her own, and looks deeply into the glistening blue eyes gazing back at her. "I want to create a life with you, with all of our own traditions. I want us to have special things that we do every year during the holidays. I want this life with you, more than anything. I know these small things don't amount to nearly how much you're worth nor how much you deserve, but I'm hoping I have many more Christmases to get it right," Stella finishes, slightly out of breath and hoping her jumbled words made sense coming out of her mouth. 

Dana doesn't say anything at first. The two sit in a charged silence for a moment, Scully taking in Stella's words. She then places the ornament and the camera on the coffee table beside them before crawling her way towards the blonde, eliminating all space between them. Stella stares into Scully's eyes, unsure of what to do or say next. She can't read the redhead, and her mind is spinning with the possibilities. 

"Oh, Stella. You're in trouble now," Scully leans in and whispers, finally breaking the tense silence. 

"Wh-What?" Stella stammers, surprised at her own nervousness. Stella rarely felt out of control. Tonight is the most vulnerable she has ever felt in her life, fully exposing herself emotionally to Dana. 

"Because I could really get used to this," Scully responds, her expression deadpan. 

"Used to what?" Stella says, finding herself edging backward towards the tree as Scully presses on, stalking the blonde like prey. 

"Having you underneath my Christmas tree. I get to unwrap you next, right?" Scully says, her finger finding its way beneath Stella's chin, sending a shiver through the normally poised detective. "You are all mine, Stella Gibson," Scully whispers seductively. "And I'm sorry, but I'm never letting you go." 

Stella's heartbeat quickens at Scully's tone. "Does that mean you liked your gifts then?" Stella asks, quirking her brow at the redhead. 

"I think I'm going to have to show you just how... appreciative I am," Scully says, pausing to take the blonde's earlobe into her mouth and suckle it gently. 

Stella shudders, her hands encircling Scully's waist and pulling her closer. They both hiss at the contact. Unable to resist the temptation any longer, Stella pulls Scully from the spot she was tending to on her neck up to meet her lips in a searing kiss. 

Scully cups Stella through her trousers, teasing her, and Stella cannot suppress the moan that escapes from her lips. Stella reluctantly moves her hands from Scully's hips in an attempt to remove her own pants to give the redhead better access, but Scully practically growls at the loss of contact. 

"I want you now," Scully breathes, wasting no time working her hand into the front of Stella's pants. Stella feels a rush of wetness at Scully's fervor and leans her hips to meet the thrusts of Dana's skilled fingers. Stella leans further into Scully for support, taking Scully's shoulder in her mouth to quiet the sounds of desire and pleasure bubbling up from her throat. 

Stella was so unfamiliar with this primal side of Scully, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't turned on by Scully taking her like this. She liked that there were still so many sides of Dana to uncover. Stella couldn't think of any way she'd rather spend her life than with the woman currently bringing her to the edge of one of the most powerful orgasms she's ever had in her life. 

Stella comes quickly with Dana's name on her tongue and her eyes clamped shut. As soon as she regains enough strength to hold herself up again, she notices Scully looking at her with the most tender and loving expression. The love she feels in that moment is so pure it almost brings her to tears. When their lips meet again, it is much slower. Scully takes it upon herself to begin undressing the blonde, taking her time to appreciate the soft curves of Stella's body. 

Stella smiles to herself remembering the special ensemble Dana is currently uncovering. The gasp of surprise and the following hum of appreciation from Scully do not go unnoticed by Stella. Dana lets her eyes drink in the gorgeous sight before her, licking her lips as she looks Stella up and down. The blonde wore a sheer white bra, lined with red lace trimming that hugged the curves of her chest perfectly. The matching red thong was made of sheer fabric that gave Scully a full view of Stella's evident arousal. Stella looked absolutely radiant, practically glowing in the firelight. Her skin prickling with goosebumps at the anticipation of what Dana would do next. 

Scully, wide-eyed and mouth watering, leans down to place open-mouthed kisses to each of Stella's breasts. "You look absolutely divine, darling," Scully says, before licking her way from Stella's cleavage up to her neck. Scully removes her own sweater then, followed by her own trousers, and leans back on the blanket resting next to the fireplace. 

Dana motions for Stella to follow her lead, and the blonde climbs on top of Scully, enjoying the feeling of having Dana trapped below her. Stella, seeking friction, grinds Dana's thigh and captures her lips again in an attempt to claim some dominance. Scully, however, has different plans in mind and she abruptly stops their kiss, lightly pushing the blonde away. 

"I want to taste you," Scully whispers against Stella's mouth. She motions for the blonde to position herself higher. "I want you to come in my mouth."

Stella feels another flow of wetness to her core as she follows her orders, climbing above Scully to rest her thighs on either side of the doctor's head. Practically dripping with need, Stella moves the sheer piece of fabric aside to expose her throbbing center. 

"Baby, I just have one question for you," Scully says softly, lips dangerously close to Stella's center. Stella only moans in response, any words she may have wanted to say currently being drowned by her need for Dana's tongue deep inside her. "Have you been naughty or nice?" 


	12. Christmas Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stella and Scully have a peaceful Christmas morning together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Here's a short update before we get into the bulk of my Christmas Day chapters! I hope you like this one, and stay tuned for the next chapters! Only a few more to go before I wrap this story up.

11:45 P.M. Christmas Eve 

After Scully made sure to thoroughly show Stella her appreciation for such a lovely and thoughtful Christmas Eve, the two managed on wobbly legs to make their way from their spot on the floor in front of the fireplace up to the couch. There the blonde wrapped Scully in her arms, caressing her mussed red hair until the two fell asleep. 

Stella awakens a little before midnight to the sounds of Scully snoring, still wrapped snuggly in her arms. The blonde thinks back fondly on her day with Dana and feels warmth spread throughout her body. Stella never dared to dream that she could be this person. Planning surprises, buying meaningful gifts, sharing secrets of her past, and least of all, envisioning a happy and abundant future with someone. Stella gazes lovingly at the sleeping beauty tucked just below her chin and whispers ever so softly, "Dana Scully, I'm going to marry you someday." The words surprise Stella even as they flow from her mouth, but she means them. She wonders briefly what Scully would say if Stella proposed to her, but she quickly stops that train of thought before she begins to spiral about the what ifs. 

Unable to stop herself, Stella leans forward to place a few sweet kisses to Dana's hairline. The slight movement rouses the redhead from her slumber, but she doesn't open her eyes right away. Dana nuzzles herself further into Stella's side and hums peacefully, seemingly content to be kissed repeatedly by Stella forever. When the blonde pauses, Scully turns her head upwards, eyes still closed, and places her own slow and sleepy kisses to Stella's jawline. 

"Hello, darling," Stella says quietly, allowing Scully to decide whether or not she wants to go back to sleep. 

Upon hearing Stella's voice, Dana gradually turns herself over to face her, laying on top of the blonde and nestling herself comfortably between Stella's legs. Dana's eyes finally find Stella's, mirrored blues reflecting twinkles of light from the tiny bulbs on the Christmas tree beside them. Scully's hazy gaze flickers to the clock above the fireplace that reads 11:55 P.M., and then back to Stella before she says playfully, "You know Santa doesn't come until after midnight, right?"

"Ah, well, I'm not sure it matters. The only gift I'm interested in receiving is already right here in my arms," Stella says proudly, squeezing Scully a little tighter. 

"I hope that's not true. I still haven't given you your Christmas gift," Scully says, with a subtle pout and a hint of worry in her voice. 

"I'm sure I will love it, but having you in my life will always mean more to me than any presents we could ever exchange," Stella responds, cupping Scully's jaw in her hands and bringing her in for a kiss. Their lips first feather soft, barely grazing - then with increasing passion. When the two eventually part for air, Scully looks over at the clock once more. 12:01 A.M. Officially Christmas morning. 

"Merry Christmas, my love," Scully says in between tender pecks to the blonde's plump lips. 

X 

Though Stella would have happily held Scully on the couch all night, the redhead insisted that the two move to their bedroom for a proper night of rest before their Christmas morning festivities. 

Stella awakens to the feeling of Scully's soft lips on her forehead, her closed eyelids, her cheeks, and the tip of her nose. Scully's gentle form straddling the blonde. Stella sighs contentedly, simply enjoying Dana's soft caresses and gentle kisses. When she eventually opens her eyes, she sees Scully hovering above her wearing Stella's favorite Fleetwood Mac band tee and a giddy smile. Stella notes the redhead's bare thighs on either side of her own slender hips and palms them as Scully leans in for another sweet kiss. 

"Good morning, darling," Scully says. "Merry Christmas." She snuggles into the blonde and hugs her close. "I can't wait to spend the day with you. You gave me the best Christmas Eve I've ever had, and I plan on showing you the best Christmas Day you've ever had." 

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," Stella coos in return. She notices that Scully's usual bedhead has been tamed and that Scully has already washed her face and brushed her teeth. "How long have you been awake? What time is it?" 

"It's just past 10:00 A.M. I didn't want to wake you because you looked so peaceful sleeping. It really is unfair that you look beautiful even in your sleep," Scully says, smoothing Stella's hair. "I already have coffee and breakfast waiting for you downstairs. Wash up and I'll have your plate waiting for you when you're done!"

With one final forehead kiss, Scully climbs off of Stella and saunters out of their bedroom. Stella watches her leave and silently ponders whether there is anything in this world more beautiful than Dana Scully wearing an oversized shirt, panties, and nothing else. She suddenly understands the joy of Christmas morning. Keen on not keeping her girlfriend waiting, Stella quickly throws on a t-shirt and pajama shorts. 

When Stella finishes her quick morning routine, she heads downstairs. She feels the warmth hit her body as she descends into their living room. The fire is roaring, acoustic Christmas songs are playing gently from Scully's bluetooth speaker on the counter, and Scully is humming gently as she pours two cups of coffee. It's a beautiful sight. 

"Ooh, you're done. Come sit! I made banana pancakes, bacon, and eggs. I also cut up some fruit," Scully says, walking to Stella to hand her a steaming cup of her favorite cinnamon dolce brew. 

"Thank you, love. This looks great," Stella says, kissing Scully's cheek and following her to the dining room table to eat. 

The two ate, sharing in comfortable casual conversation. Scully informs Stella that Mulder and her mom both got their gifts in the mail. Stella had helped Scully pick out a book on conspiracy theories for Mulder, which he was already raving about. And they had purchased a new kitchen mixer for Scully's mom who has gotten really into baking bread lately. 

"Okay, honey. Here's the plan for today," Scully says once the two finished their breakfast. "We have some time to relax for a bit before I need to start getting things ready for tonight. I arranged for you to meet with Julien and Henry for a little afternoon stroll while I prepare. It's absolutely beautiful out today too. Sound good?" 

"That sounds wonderful. You really did think of everything, huh?" Stella responds, curious as to what the grinning redhead has planned. 

"That's the idea, yes. You're a hard act to follow. You planned such a lovely day yesterday, but baby, Christmas is my specialty. I'm bringing my A-game for you. Pulling out all the stops," Scully says, dragging Stella over to the couch. 

The two snuggle together on the couch and Scully puts on her favorite Christmas movie, The Holiday. Scully has seen the movie more times than she can count, so she spends most of her time with her eyes glued to the blonde. Gauging her reactions at first, but then mostly just admiring her stunning girlfriend. 

Scully inches closer to the blonde, unable to keep even a small amount of distance from Stella. The action goes unnoticed by Stella who is still currently very invested in plot unfolding in the the romantic comedy onscreen. Stella absentmindedly turns towards Scully to find Dana's face only inches from hers, Scully's eyes hooded and yearning. Dana leans forward to capture Stella's lips, hungry for the blonde. 

"Wait, wait," Stella says, breathless in between Scully's kisses. The redhead huffs in impatience, her hand already gliding up the blonde's shirt. "Can we just pause the movie before we continue?" the blonde asks meekly. "I want to know what happens!"

Scully giggles and presses pause on the remote before leaning back into the blonde. "Now, where were we?" she asks, meeting Stella for another kiss. 


	13. Christmas Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully surprises Stella with a special Christmas Day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the long-awaited Christmas Day chapter! I hope that you all like this one! Thanks for sticking around with me on this story, I really appreciate you all!

After a leisurely morning wrapped up in Dana's arms, Stella was having a hard time parting ways with the redhead, even if just for a few hours. As Stella puts the finishing touches on her makeup, Scully watches intently from their bed. Stella catches Scully's wide blue eyes in the reflection of the mirror and smiles. Scully seemed to be enjoying her view. 

With one last glance at her finished look, Stella turns and walks toward her still pajama-clad girlfriend. "The boys will be here any minute to pick you up," Scully says, sending a quick text. Stella nods in confirmation and looks at their bedroom door, then back at Scully. Unable to stop herself, she quickly jumps on their bed and tackles Scully playfully. Despite having just perfected her lipstick moments ago, Stella kisses Scully fiercely, effectively smearing her lip shade all over Scully's mouth. 

"You looked so beautiful just then, I couldn't help myself," Stella muses, climbing off of the redhead. 

"I miss you already. I'll see you back here soon. I love you," Scully says, giggling embarrassedly at Stella's compliment. She felt so giddy thinking about her surprise for Stella. 

"I love you too, darling. See you soon," Stella calls back as she walks down the stairs. She hears two quick car horns out front, signaling the arrival of her friends. She grabs the Christmas cookies that Scully baked and wrapped up for Julien and Henry and heads out the front door. 

She can hear the Christmas music blasting from the car's speakers before she even opens the door. When she does, Julien and Henry simultaneously wish Stella a "Merry Christmas" in a sing-song tone that makes her heart melt. Happy to see the faces of two of her closest friends, she kisses each of them on the cheek before handing them their Christmas treats. 

"Merry Christmas, you two! Here are some holiday sweets from Dana," she says, feeling pride in her girlfriend's baking craftsmanship. "So, where are we headed?"

"We have been instructed to keep you busy for as long as Dana needs to get your special evening ready," Henry says, already munching on a snowflake sugar cookie. "So we were thinking coffee and a walk through the park."

"Do either of you have any idea what she's up to?" Stella asks, genuinely curious. 

"We may have some idea... but we obviously aren't going to tell you anything, so don't even try it, Gibson," Julien retorts sternly, knowing how skilled Stella is at getting information out of him. 

When they pull up to the café, Henry hops out of the passenger seat. "I've already placed the order, so I'm just going to run in and grab them," he says cheerfully. He returns quickly with three hot peppermint mochas in red and green holiday cups.

It's a quick drive from the café to the nearest park. The three step out of the car, greeted by the crisp air and brilliant sun. Stella finds her place in the middle of the two men and they both loop one of their arms through each of Stella's. Stella laughs, thinking how ridiculous they must look - three adults linked arm in arm. But she doesn't let go, allowing herself to feel the warmth of friendship and the hot coffee spread through her body. She thought briefly to herself that this had to be the best Christmas she's had since her father passed. 

"Dana extended her thanks for the bouquet of scalpels thing, by the way," Julien remarks cheekily, nudging Stella who smiles in return. "I didn't think you would actually do it, even though I knew she'd think it was brilliant." 

Henry laughs, recalling their earlier conversation with Scully. "Babe, if you ever got me something as weird as that, I would definitely dump your ass," he says with a wink in Julien's direction. 

"At least Dana appreciates my genius. You need to hang on to that one, Stell," Julien says. 

Stella pauses for a moment before continuing. "Can I tell you both something... kind of private?" she asks. 

"Of course," Julien says, noting the change in Stella's tone from lighthearted to a bit serious. Henry nods in agreement, looking at Stella earnestly. 

"I think I want to ask Dana to marry me," Stella says confidently. 

X 

Back at the apartment, Scully begins to feel a bit nervous for the first time since deciding on her plan of action for today. She pops open a bottle of red wine and serves herself a glass before taking two large gulps of the dark liquid. She felt the heat within her begin to calm her shaking limbs. She has never done anything this big for anyone before. Dana Scully wasn't usually one for grand romantic gestures. If she were being honest, she didn't think she had ever truly been in love before meeting Stella. All of her previous relationships couldn't even begin to compare to the connection that she feels with Stella. 

Steadying her breath, she reaches for her phone and dials the only other number besides Stella's that she knows by heart. 

The line rings three times before she gets an answer. "Dana, honey, I thought you were going to call me tomorrow. Don't you have a big night planned with Stella?"

"Mom, I'm freaking out," Scully whimpers into the phone, suddenly feeling ten years old again, vulnerable and scared. 

"Are you finally going to tell me what you got her?" Maggie Scully says slowly, trying to ease some honesty from Dana. 

"I'm asking her to marry me," Scully blurts out before she can stop herself. 

There is a gasp, followed by a heavy silence on the other side of the line. After what feels like an eternity to Scully, she hears a soft response. "Dana, that's so wonderful," Mrs. Scully whispers. "I knew she was the one for you. I'm thrilled, sweetheart," she says through tears of joy. 

"I've only told Mulder about the proposal. I wasn't going to tell you until after, in case she says no," Scully explains, feeling guilty for not telling her mom sooner. 

"Do you think she'll say no? I thought you two have been doing really well lately," Maggie says. 

"I mean, I don't know. Stella has always said that she's not the marriage type. We have made a lot of progress over the last few months, but I'm afraid that proposing might scare her off. I can't lose her, mom," Scully breathes, feeling the stress coming off of her in waves. "I don't think I would ever recover if she were to leave me." 

"Dana, if she truly loves you, she won't let you go. You trust her, don't you?" her mom responds. 

"I do. I trust her. I love her so much," Scully says, tears scratching at her voice. 

"Then go get your girl!" she responds, wishing her daughter luck. 

X 

The boys drop Stella off in front of her apartment at 5:30 P.M. per Dana's instructions. She hugs and kisses them both goodbye before stepping out of the car. She waves them off as they drive away and takes two steps before her feet won't move any further. Stella began to feel nervous to find out what Scully has planned for her on the other side of that door. She had just spilled her deepest feelings to Julien and Henry, and she felt as though she wouldn't be able to keep her thoughts to herself once she was face to face with Scully. They had only been together for about a year. If she told Scully that she wanted to marry her, would the redhead be scared off? Is it too soon? Would Scully even want to marry Stella? The blonde felt like she could burst into flames on the spot. 

Stella is shaken from her trance upon seeing movement in their apartment window. She could see Scully's elegant silhouette dance past the glow of the slightly tilted blinds. Her heart still beating fast in her ears, Stella trudges forward. This was her Scully. Her sweet Scully that was waiting for her with what she could imagine was the most lovely Christmas evening. She makes it to the door in a few confident strides. 

Stella knocks firmly a few times and closes her eyes, remembering the way she found Scully the day before. Just in case, she thought to herself. 

Stella hears the door open slowly and feels the warmth radiating from inside. "Hi," Scully whispers softly. The sounds is like music to the blonde's ears, and a smile begins to spread across her face. 

"Eyes closed. That's perfect, darling," Scully says. "Give me your hands and keep those eyes shut for me, please. I'm going to guide you in. No peeking." 

Stella gulps and nods her understanding. She holds out her slightly shaking hands for Scully, who takes them gently, rubbing her thumbs along Stella's trembling fingers. Scully wonders for a moment if Stella knows about her surprise. She's never seen the blonde this nervous in her presence before and her confidence falters for a moment. Then she looks at Stella's face, blushing and sweet, eyes squeezed shut just like she promised. Pushing the anxious thoughts aside, Scully marches on, holding onto the faith that she has in their bond. No matter what happens, she knows Stella loves her.

Dana guides Stella carefully through their home to her chosen spot beneath the archway in their living room. Scully takes Stella's hands and places them at the blonde's sides. Stella feels the redhead step away from her body. After a slight shuffle, she hears Dana speak. 

"You can open your eyes now," Scully says. 

When Stella's eyes flutter open, the first thing she sees is their dimly lit living room, decorated beautifully. Dozens of candles flickering around the room, countless bouquets of red roses in vases perched on nearly every surface, bright red flower petals across the hardwood floor. Stella is surprised, for a moment, that she wasn't immediately met with Dana's smiling face. Until she glances downward. 

In front of Stella is Dana Katherine Scully wearing the most stunning maroon form-fitted dress; her hair pinned expertly in movie-star ringlets, lips crimson and kissable, and kneeling - with an open box in her palm, exposing the most gorgeous ring Stella had ever seen. The blonde stops breathing, stops blinking, and stares in wide-eyed shock. 

"Stella Gibson, you are the love of my life. Honestly, that doesn't even begin to cover the way that I feel about you. You are the best person that I've ever known. You are so smart, so kind, so compassionate, so complex...so unbelievably sexy, like wow... you genuinely take my breath away," Scully pauses to actively take in a deep breath for emphasis. "I know this is quite forward and I hope you forgive me, but I simply want you to be mine forever. You're all I want for the rest of my life. And I'll take that in whatever form you're willing to give me, but I would be so thrilled to call you my wife. Stella, would you do me the immense honor of marrying me?"

Scully looks up at the blonde with tear-filled eyes, terrified but relieved that she finally made it to this moment with Stella. 

Stella sinks to her own knees, meeting Scully's tearful gaze as she reaches the floor in front of the redhead. 

In the smallest voice Scully has ever heard, Stella responds. "Really?" the blonde asks, incredulously. She takes Scully's face in her hands and lets out a shudder and a small sob before continuing. "You're sure? You want to marry me?" Stella asks, fully crying now. 

"Oh my goodness, baby, of course I'm sure!" Scully chuckles in response. 

"Dana Scully, I would love to be your wife. Nothing would make me happier," Stella says, beaming despite her face still flooding with tears. 

"Oh, thank god," Scully exhales, throwing her arms around the blonde. Then Stella pulls Scully up to stand. 

"May I?" Scully fumbles with the small box in her hand, takes the ring, and places the silver band on Stella's ring finger. The blonde admires the way the circular diamond shines in the candlelight. Everything about this moment feels like a dream. Scully takes Stella's left hand and kisses each knuckle before placing a gentle peck on the space just above the ring. 

"My fiancée, Stella Gibson," Scully says proudly. 

"My fiancée, Dana Scully," Stella recites, finding that the words already tumble comfortably from her lips. 

"Oh, one last thing," Scully says, glancing upwards. "Look up."

Stella allows her gaze to follow Scully's, focusing on the middle of the garland overhead. 

"Mistletoe," Stella says, the surprise evident in her voice. 

"Merry Christmas, my love," Scully replies, taking Stella's face in her hands and bringing their lips together in a tender kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you all would be interested in an epilogue! I was thinking of doing one last chapter to wrap things up. Thanks so much, again, for reading!


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